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First Nations health

We work in partnership with government agencies, community-controlled health services, First Nations peoples and the private sector to improve the cultural safety of care and health outcomes for First Nations people.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander visitors are advised that this site and content may contain images and case studies relating to deceased persons.

Recent reports have demonstrated that systemic and institutional racism remains embedded across Australian healthcare structures, policies and practices, contributing directly to inequitable access and outcomes.

Embedding cultural safety into everyday systems and process within health services will re-orient healthcare delivery to focus on models, practices and approaches that respect and prioritise First Nations ways of knowing, being and doing. It will also help contribute to the elimination of racism and the delivery of better health outcomes for First Nations people.
 

Cultural safety

Cultural safety for First Nations people is determined by First Nations individuals, families and communities.

In health care, culturally safe practise is the ongoing critical reflection of knowledge, skills, attitudes, practising behaviours and power differentials in delivering safe, accessible and responsive healthcare free of racism.

Essential features of cultural safety are individuals and organisations:

  • acknowledging colonisation and systemic racism, social, cultural, behavioural and economic factors which impact individual and community health
  • acknowledging and addressing individual racism, their own biases, assumptions, stereotypes and prejudices and provide care that is holistic, free of bias and racism
  • recognising the importance of self-determined decision-making, partnership and collaboration in healthcare which is driven by the individual, family and community
  • fostering a safe working environment through leadership to support the rights and dignity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and colleagues.

Under the Priority reforms for the National Agreement on Closing the Gap signed in July 2020, all government organisations have committed to ‘embedding and practicing meaningful cultural safety’ as well as ‘delivering services in partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations, communities and people’.
 

Cultural safety standards

We have established a First Nations team to review cultural safety standards for hospitals. This project aims to identify, through a co-design process, the most appropriate options and approaches to developing a national cultural safety standard for hospitals.

The first stage of this project is focused on building the evidence and consulting with key stakeholders and is currently underway.

First Nations Health Team

The Commission has established a First Nations Health team to lead and drive the Cultural Safety Standards Review Project. For more information about this work, you can email our team.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Advisory Group

We have established an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Advisory Group to provide critical advice and support for our work to improve cultural safety and the safety and quality of care for First Nations people. This Group includes a broad range of people representing First Nations clinicians, consumers, community-controlled organisations and peak bodies, and helps shape our work and co-design processes.

Other work on cultural safety

National safety and quality standards

Our National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) Standards are developed in collaboration with states, territories, clinical experts, patients and carers. The primary aim of the NSQHS Standards are to improve the quality of health service provision by providing nationally consistent statements about the level of care consumers can expect from health services.

Actions to meet the needs of First Nations peoples

The current NSQHS Standards include six actions that focus specifically on supporting improvements to health care delivery for First Nations people.

Clinical Governance Standard
  • Action 1.2: The governing body ensures that the organisations; safety and quality priorities address the specific needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
  • Action 1.4: The health service organisation implements and monitors strategies to meet the organisation’s safety and quality priorities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
  • Action 1.21: The health service organisation has strategies to improve the cultural awareness and cultural competency of the workforce to meet the needs of its Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients
  • Action 1.33: The health service organisation demonstrates a welcoming environment that recognises the importance of the cultural beliefs and practices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
Partnering with Consumers Standard
  • Action 2.13: The health service organisation works in partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to meet their healthcare needs
Comprehensive Care Standard
  • Action: 5.8: The health service organisation has processes to routinely ask patients if they identify as being of Aboriginal and/or Torres Straut Islander origin, and to record this information in administrative and clinical information systems.

 

Implementation resources

We have developed guidance for health services to help take action to meet these requirements including:

Developing the Third Edition of the NSQHS Standards

We have started developing the third edition of the NSQHS Standards and are looking at how we can strengthen and improve a range of requirements including those to support cultural safety and improved outcomes for First Nations people. To find out more about the development of the third edition go to the Third edition consultation page.
 

Healthcare rights

The Australian Charter of Healthcare Rights describes what consumers, or someone they care for, can expect when receiving health care. These rights apply to all people in all places where health care is provided in Australia.

Your healthcare rights include the right to access, safety, respect, partnership, information, privacy and to give feedback without fear of it affecting care.

For First Nations people, delivering care aligned with the Charter means ensuring care is culturally safe care and free from racism and discrimination.

My Healthcare Rights by Northern Sydney Local Health District

Northern Sydney Local Health District in New South Wales has developed a Charter Poster for First Nations people.

Story of the artwork

The Waraba (turtle) Artist: Peter Shine (Director NSLHD Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Service). The Waraba was chosen as the logo of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Service (ATSIHS), Northern Sydney Local Health District because the Waraba represents Resilience, Wisdom and Longevity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people across the nation. The Waraba sends a message to mob to continue to learn and share the knowledge and wisdom of the oldest surviving cultures in the world. The Waraba is the skin totem given to the artist and representative of the above story. This artwork has been used with Peter’s permission.

With permission other health services are welcome to use NSLHD’s version of the Charter to inspire your local adaptations. However, no part of the artwork in this document may be used, recreated or copied as it is specific to NSLHD Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Service

Other resources

We have a range of information and guidance to help improve the delivery of healthcare for First Nations people including.

Last updated: 20 March 2026